Allison Marlow Paterson

Allison Marlow Paterson grew up on a farm near Pyramid Hill, the small Victorian town where she was born. She travelled 24 miles to school at Kerang on an ancient bus – top speed 40mph - loved shearing time and collecting mushrooms in the winter. Allison now lives on the beautiful Sunshine Coast where she cannot tell if the wild mushrooms are safe to eat or not! "I am the author of Anzac Sons: The Story of Five Brothers in the War to End All Wars and the children’s version, Anzac Sons: Five Brothers on the Western Front, which made the 2016 Australian Book Industry Awards longlist. My interest in the service of my ancestors began when I was studying to become a teacher. I used a selection of the letters they sent from the Western Front to complete an assignment. The dream to honour their courage and sacrifice was ignited.

"My latest book titled Granny’s Place, is a fiction story for children and is based on my childhood memories of my much-loved grandparents, the joy of the family gatherings on their small farm in central Victoria and my own reflections on the changes that life brings. It has subtle links back to Anzac Sons including the home which my grandfather built from mud brick and named Passchendaele when he return from the war. Shane McGrath, the talented illustrator, is now working on Shearing Time which is to be released in October, 2016. When I am not being a teacher librarian, I am reading, writing, planning a holiday, on a long walk or cooling off in the pool."

KC's Fireworks - Gold Sponsor. Established in 1989 in Yandina on the Sunshine Coast, KC’s Fireworks Displays are one of the biggest fireworks companies in Australia boasting awards such as: Best Business (Entertainment) Sunshine Coast Tourism Awards and 3rd place in the Asian World Pyrotechnic Championships in Macau in 2000

This project is supported by the Queensland Government through Arts Queensland